Fishing  the Tongariro in winter is associated with Taupō ‘bomb’ nymphs that get down deep, fast.  And if you’re fishing deeper water, then yes, they’re a necessary thing.

Fishing heavy snowballs fast, as with such a heavy fly, you’ll also need a massive indicator. Then to effectively cast such monstrosities, you’ll need a 8/9 weight rod, heavier line, and you’ll probably start developing one Popeye-sized arm!

There are other ways to enjoy nymphing without needing shoulder surgery after each cast, or risking a new erring as the heavy bombs whiz past.

The weather might be heavy, but that doesn’t mean your gear needs to be.

In the Winter of 2021 we started noticing a change in fishing styles on the river, and this accelerated in 2023.  Yes, the locals hauling in fresh specimens from the bridge pool were on big gear, but many others were choosing wet fly options, or nymphing with lighter gear, which is what we’ll talk about here.  Here are a few tips to try on your next wintry Tongariro sojourn.

Come prepared for anything

If you can, bring a variety of gear.  It gives you options.  Water flow, weather conditions, time of day, and fish behaviour can all drastically change the most effective fishing style, so it is nice to be prepared.  This also includes bringing that lighter gear.  Probably not your 4-weight, but New Zealand’s favourite 6-weight is a good standby.

Look for new water

The winter spawning runs mean that fish will be all throughout the river, so you don’t need to head straight to the famous-name pools.  Backwaters and smaller sections often provide resting spots for running rainbows, who are just as likely to feast before continuing to run the gauntlet. The other benefit is getting away from the crowds.

Vary your fishing style

This year, while Teo and Greg stuck to nymphing, Tony switched to swinging wet flies and took out the family competition as a result.  There was a definite rise in Czech or Euro nymphing this year, which is the ultimate lightweight style, taking long casts out of the picture altogether.

Fish lighter

The real point of this article is to consider lighter gear, such as a 6-weight rod and associated floating line coupled with a smaller, though still well-weighted main fly.  As a consequence of going lighter, you’ll also find yourself fishing appropriate, often overlooked water, such as in riffles, or closer to the banks – which can yield great results.  “Fish your feet first” works on big rivers too!  Hooking a feisty rainbow is more of a challenge, but also a lot of fun.

Many fishers, like us, descend on Tongariro just once each year for this very purpose.  It may have been months since we fished during the standard season, and we expect our bodies to handle several full days of casting and fishing.  Certainly, a lighter setup makes the aches and pains less so. 

Vary your flies

While Globugs and their ilk are rightly wildly popular in winter to prey on the survival instincts of running trout, it is important not to put all your trout eggs in one basket.  In brighter conditions, smaller naturals work really well.  If in doubt (and we often are) then having a heavier natural fly in one colour, and a lighter dropper fly in another (or globug) gives that fish some choices.

Depth is key

Walk any distance along the Tongariro, of fishing from bank and working out to the main stem, the water depth changes dramatically.  It is probably worth a whole other blog to discuss ways of dealing with this, but suffice to say, it is essential to be able to vary the length to your indicator – often.  Search around for favourite options, which can include the New Zealand Indicator tool, special swivel setups, or rubber loop style indicators.  

The sport of flyfishing has never stood still, and the technology and fishing styles continue to develop apace.  We certainly aren’t advocating buying every new piece of kit that arrives – we’re not gear junkies ourselves.  But being prepared with fishing options, and most importantly some open-mindedness, can help create those magic winter moments on the Tongariro River.